The Disaster Center Awards for the Best Use of
the Internet for the Delivery of the "Disaster Message" to the Public by
Government Agencies.
The "Disaster Message" is communication in which a delay in transmission
has negative consequences for the public. This involves all aspects of
the message which includes warning, preparation, mitigation, response,
and recovery.
The Disaster Center Awards For Best Federal Disaster
Internet Message Providers.
1. The Storm Prediction
Center
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/
This site is phenomenal. It is the best of the best. If you
want to know about critical weather related information this is where it
is at. It's timely forecasts and predictions are essential to the
health and welfare of the people of the United States.
2. Tie
The Hydrometeorological
Prediction Center
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
And The National
Hurricane Center
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
These are both great sources for forecast information. The rapid
development of these sciences is a fascination to watch.
3. FEMA
http://www.fema.gov/
FEMA is a constant source of national public information. Without
doubt the best United States provider of preparation, mitigation, and recovery
information.
The Disaster Center Awards For Best State Disaster
Internet Message Providers.
1. Florida
http://www.floridadisaster.org/
The State of Florida Division of Emergency Management has created the best
State web site for the provision of disaster related information by way
of the internet. It is a site that, on many levels, so far exceeds
all other State sites, that is in a class by itself. The excellence
of this site is obviously due to more than experience.
2. Alaska
http://www.ak-prepared.com/
The State of Alaska is the only state that provides us with a daily disaster
situation report by email. The creation of an emailed daily situation
report should be a requirement of every emergency management agency.
The distribution of that report by email means that we are able to distribute
information to our site users and on our site's email lists. Alaska's
web site also provides public access to these public daily situation reports,
public access to press releases, with educational material of quality and
quantity on par with the better State Emergency Management web sites.
3. Kentucky
http://webserve.dma.state.ky.us/
Kentucky is the only State that consistently sends us email news releases.
If we had to choose only one method to get disaster related information
email is it. This method provides for the most rapid and complex
distribution of the disaster message; yet, is the most simple, inexpensive
means. Kentucky's Emergency Management staff has done wonderful things
with it's email news releases.
The State's DEM has used this means to: distribute current disaster
reports, on going disaster information, to promote the needs of the State's
people after a disaster, to promote the work of the agency, to mitigate
the consequences of any disaster for the people, to distribute educational
information, and much more.
Kentucky's site design is simple in style; yet, it demonstrates an understanding
that providing efficient access to the "disaster message" for the people
of it's State is its primary public information responsibility.
The Disaster Center Awards For Best Local Disaster
Internet Message Providers.
These are sites under jurisdictions less than a State
1. Alachua
County Emergency Management
http://www.alachua-em.org/">
Alachua County EMA provides current accurate local information on it’s
site as the disaster takes place. This county uses the NOAA Emergency Management
network, it emails situation updates and provides valuable public information
on it’s web site before, during and after the disaster.
2. Miami Dade
Office of Emergency Management
http://www.metro-dade.com/oem/
Serving the 2 million residents of Miami-Dade, the County Office of Emergency
Management's website is updated in real-time during a disaster. The "Answer
Center" section is updated with evacuation maps, location of evacuation
centers, a summary of the situation, human services efforts, public safety
orders, and affects on the infrastructure during disasters.
A promoter of the "CERT" program, it uses it’s site to promote public outreach
activities. It is without a doubt among the best in providing local
disaster related information.
3. Flagler
County Emergency Services
http://www.flagleremergency.com/
Flager County's population is among the smallest of Florida's counties.
Yet, this county exceeds in quantity and quality of information delivery,
by way of the internet, all but a few States and counties in the United
States. It provides warnings, press releases, and situation reports
by way of email, and provides current information reports on it’s site.
About the Award
At The Disaster Center our ability to provide information depends on our
access to reports by way of the internet .
In creating these awards we are simply acknowledging the best of those
sources. The award itself was originally delivered to emergency management
related mailing lists that we subscribe to as examples of best practices.
The most interesting of the award winners is Flagler County, Florida.
Flagler County has a two person Emergency Management Agency, yet it makes
better use of the capacities of the internet to deliver the “disaster message”
than all but a few States and counties in the United States.
The Disaster Center